Off-board hours-of-service (“HOS”) processing

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for providing hour-of-service (“HOS”) calculations via a web based host server instead of on an onboard mobile device. In the various embodiments, an onboard vehicle recording device and driver-carried mobile devices may operate independently. The onboard vehicle recording device and driver-carried mobile device(s) may exchange information independently with a host server rather than exchanging information together onboard the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of associating a driver with a particular vehicle, comprising:
 receiving, in a server from a vehicle data reporting device, an odometer reading for the particular vehicle; 
 receiving, in the server from a driver computing device, a message including a driver-entered odometer reading; 
 comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the driver computing device; and 
 associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, in the server, one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code; and 
 comparing the received one or more of the vehicle identifier, the driver identifier and the driver authentication code to data stored in the server, 
 wherein associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of the vehicle identifier, the driver identifier and the driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, in the server from the driver computing device, a driver status change report; and 
 sending, by the server to the driver computing device, a send odometer input request in response to receiving the driver status change report, 
 wherein the odometer reading is received in response to the sending of the odometer input request. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the odometer input request is one of an email, a text message or a web form. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, by the server, an alert in response to the two odometer readings not matching; and 
 sending, by the server, the alert to at least one of a dispatcher and the driver computer device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the alert is one of an email, a text message, an automated phone call, a web browser pop-up or an executable code segment. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving the odometer reading from the vehicle data reporting device is received via the Internet. 
     
     
       8. A server, comprising:
 means for receiving, from a vehicle data reporting device, an odometer reading for a particular vehicle; 
 means for receiving, from a driver computing device, a message including a driver-entered odometer reading; 
 means for comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the computing device; and 
 means for associating a driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match. 
 
     
     
       9. The server of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for receiving one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code; and 
 means for comparing the received one or more of the vehicle identifier, the driver identifier and the driver authentication code to data stored in the server, 
 wherein associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of the vehicle identifier, the driver identifier and the driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server. 
 
     
     
       10. The server of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for receiving, from the driver computing device, a driver status change report; and 
 means for sending, to the driver computing device, a send odometer input request in response to receiving the driver status change report, 
 wherein the odometer reading is received in response to the sending of the odometer input request. 
 
     
     
       11. The server of  claim 10 , wherein the odometer input request is one of an email, a text message or a web form. 
     
     
       12. The server of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for generating an alert in response to the two odometer readings do not match; and 
 means for sending the alert to at least one of a dispatcher and the driver computer device. 
 
     
     
       13. The server of  claim 8 , wherein the alert is one of an email, a text message, an automated phone call, a web browser pop-up or an executable code segment. 
     
     
       14. A server, comprising:
 a transceiver configured to communication with a communication network; and 
 a processor coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a vehicle data reporting device, an odometer reading for a particular vehicle via the first transceiver; 
 receiving, from a driver computing device, a message including a driver-entered odometer reading via the first transceiver; 
 comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the computing device; and 
 associating a driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The server of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 receiving, via the first transceiver, one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code; and 
 comparing the received one or more of the vehicle identifier, the driver identifier and the driver authentication code to data stored in the server, 
 wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of the vehicle identifier, the driver identifier and the driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server. 
 
     
     
       16. The server of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 receiving, in the server from the driver computing device, a driver status change report; and 
 sending, by the server to the driver computing device, a send odometer input request in response to receiving the driver status change report, 
 wherein the odometer reading is received in response to the sending of the odometer input request. 
 
     
     
       17. The server of  claim 16 , wherein the odometer input request is one of an email, text a message or a web form. 
     
     
       18. The server of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:
 generating, by the server, an alert in response to the two odometer readings do not match; and 
 sending, by the server, the alert to at least one of a dispatcher and the driver computer device. 
 
     
     
       19. The server of  claim 18 , wherein the alert is one of an email, a text message, an automated phone call, a web browser pop-up or an executable code segment. 
     
     
       20. The server of  claim 14 , wherein the receiving the odometer reading from the vehicle data reporting device is received via the Internet.